io6 THE STORY OF MY ROCK GARDEN 



protruding from fissures, through which the tap root 

 can descend into cool soil, the great thrift, Armeria 

 plantaginea, throws up myriads of rosy flowers on erect 

 stalks, some fifteen to eighteen inches high. 



Often this plant is still in flower in October and 

 November, while only last year I counted fifty stalks 

 on a single plant, each bearing a globular truss of 

 blossom. 



Spreading in a careless manner over the rocks and 

 on to the path, the countless spikelets of Veronica 

 rupestris not far behind the Gentians in point of 

 colour join in the display. 



The buttress-like stones rising from the path are 

 in some cases clothed with the old double white pink, 

 and very showy these clumps of grey foliage are 

 surmounted by a sheaf of white. 



From the rocky portions of the garden, the silvery 

 rosettes of Saxifraga Hostii, S. Aizoon, S. cochlearis and 

 S. lingulata lantoscana, are displaying their trusses of 

 flower, while from points of vantage spring the huge 

 two feet six inches plumes from Sax. Cotyledon v. 

 pyramidalis. 



In the Saxifrage corner S. Aizoon v. lutea and v. rosea 

 vie with one another for attention, while spreading over 

 the rocks bounding this portion of the garden are the 

 silvery cushions of Dianthus casius thickly studded 

 with their pink flowers. 



